difficult to analyze, but
it was there. She was no longer frank with me, although I think her
affection never wavered. At the time I laid the change to the fact
that I had forbidden all communication with John Bailey, and had
refused to acknowledge any engagement between the two. Gertrude spent
much of her time wandering through the grounds, or taking long
cross-country walks. Halsey played golf at the Country Club day after
day, and after Louise left, as she did the following week, Mr. Jamieson
and I were much together. He played a fair game of cribbage, but he
cheated at solitaire.

The night the detective arrived, Saturday, I had a talk with him.

I told him of the experience Louise Armstrong had had the night before,
on the circular staircase, and about the man who had so frightened
Rosie on the drive. I saw that he thought the information was
important, and to my suggestion that we put an additional lock on the
east wing door he opposed a strong negative.

"I think it probable," he said, "that our visitor will be back again,
and the thing to do is to leave things exactly as they are, to avoid
rousing suspicion. Then I can watch for at least a part of each night
and probably Mr. Innes will help us out. I would say as little to
Thomas as possible. The old man knows more than he is willing to
admit."

I suggested that Alex, the gardener, would probably be willing to help,
and Mr. Jamieson undertook to make the arrangement. For one night,
however, Mr. Jamieson preferred to watch alone. Apparently nothing
occurred. The detective sat in absolute darkness on the lower step of
the stairs, dozing, he said afterwards, now and then. Nothing could
pass him in either direction, and the door in the morning remained as
securely fastened as it had been the night before. And yet one of the
most inexplicable occurrences of the whole affair took place that very
night.

Liddy came to my room on Sunday morning with a face as long as the
moral law. She laid out my things as usual, but I missed her customary
garrulousness. I was not regaled with the new cook's extravagance as
to eggs, and she even forbore to mention "that Jamieson," on whose
arrival she had looked with silent disfavor.

"What's the matter, Liddy?" I asked at last. "Didn't you sleep last
night?"

"No, ma'm," she said stiffly.

"Did you have two cups of coffee at your dinner?" I inquired.

"No, ma'm," indignantly.

I sat up and almost upset my